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Thank you coal industry: Mercury in Canned Tuna
Thank you coal industry: Mercury in Canned Tuna, especially Albacore and Yellowfin Tuna dangerous to children, pregnant women, and adults.
http://apps.edf.org/article.cfm?contentID=7682
Mercury in Canned Tuna
Think twice about that lunch
Posted: 25-Feb-2008; Updated: 08-Aug-2011
By Environmental Defense Fund scientist Tim Fitzgerald. This post originally appeared on sustainablog.org.
Last month’s New York Times report on high mercury levels in tuna sushi was certainly cause for concern for serious sushi lovers. (See my previous post Plenty of Safe, Eco-Friendly Fish in the Sea.)
Parents should monitor how much (tuna) their kids eat.
Here’s why: Children (and infants and fetuses) are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of mercury, since their brains and nervous systems are still developing. They may suffer learning disabilities and developmental delays from prolonged or repeated exposure to even small amounts of mercury.
Children who were exposed to mercury before birth may experience problems with mental development and coordination, including how they think, learn and problem-solve later in life.
Mercury in Canned Tuna
Think twice about that lunch
Posted: 25-Feb-2008; Updated: 08-Aug-2011
By Environmental Defense Fund scientist Tim Fitzgerald. This post originally appeared on sustainablog.org.
Last month’s New York Times report on high mercury levels in tuna sushi was certainly cause for concern for serious sushi lovers. (See my previous post Plenty of Safe, Eco-Friendly Fish in the Sea.)
Parents should monitor how much (tuna) their kids eat.
Here’s why: Children (and infants and fetuses) are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of mercury, since their brains and nervous systems are still developing. They may suffer learning disabilities and developmental delays from prolonged or repeated exposure to even small amounts of mercury.
Children who were exposed to mercury before birth may experience problems with mental development and coordination, including how they think, learn and problem-solve later in life.
http://www.epa.gov/hg/about.htm
Mercury is found in many rocks including coal. When coal is burned, mercury is released into the environment. Coal-burning power plants are the largest human-caused source of mercury emissions to the air in the United States, accounting for over 50 percent of all domestic human-caused mercury emissions (Source: 2005 National Emissions Inventory). EPA has estimated that about one quarter of U.S. emissions from coal-burning power plants are deposited within the contiguous U.S. and the remainder enters the global cycle. Burning hazardous wastes, producing chlorine, breaking mercury products, and spilling mercury, as well as the improper treatment and disposal of products or wastes containing mercury, can also release it into the environment. Current estimates are that less than half of all mercury deposition within the U.S. comes from U.S. sources. More information.
...
Exposure to mercury. Mercury in the air eventually settles into water or onto land where it can be washed into water. Once deposited, certain microorganisms can change it into methylmercury, a highly toxic form that builds up in fish, shellfish and animals that eat fish. Fish and shellfish are the main sources of methylmercury exposure to humans. Methylmercury builds up more in some types of fish and shellfish than others. The levels of methylmercury in fish and shellfish depend on what they eat, how long they live and how high they are in the food chain.
EPA works with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and with states and tribes to issue advice to women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers and parents of young children about how often they should eat certain types of commercially-caught fish and shellfish. Fish advisories are also issued for men, women, and children of all ages when appropriate. In addition, EPA releases an annual summary of information on locally-issued fish advisories and safe-eating guidelines to the public. Fish is a beneficial part of the diet, so EPA & FDA encourage people to continue to eat fish that are low in methylmercury.
Mercury is found in many rocks including coal. When coal is burned, mercury is released into the environment. Coal-burning power plants are the largest human-caused source of mercury emissions to the air in the United States, accounting for over 50 percent of all domestic human-caused mercury emissions (Source: 2005 National Emissions Inventory). EPA has estimated that about one quarter of U.S. emissions from coal-burning power plants are deposited within the contiguous U.S. and the remainder enters the global cycle. Burning hazardous wastes, producing chlorine, breaking mercury products, and spilling mercury, as well as the improper treatment and disposal of products or wastes containing mercury, can also release it into the environment. Current estimates are that less than half of all mercury deposition within the U.S. comes from U.S. sources. More information.
...
Exposure to mercury. Mercury in the air eventually settles into water or onto land where it can be washed into water. Once deposited, certain microorganisms can change it into methylmercury, a highly toxic form that builds up in fish, shellfish and animals that eat fish. Fish and shellfish are the main sources of methylmercury exposure to humans. Methylmercury builds up more in some types of fish and shellfish than others. The levels of methylmercury in fish and shellfish depend on what they eat, how long they live and how high they are in the food chain.
EPA works with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and with states and tribes to issue advice to women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers and parents of young children about how often they should eat certain types of commercially-caught fish and shellfish. Fish advisories are also issued for men, women, and children of all ages when appropriate. In addition, EPA releases an annual summary of information on locally-issued fish advisories and safe-eating guidelines to the public. Fish is a beneficial part of the diet, so EPA & FDA encourage people to continue to eat fish that are low in methylmercury.
